Strainer.



. S. ELLIOTT.

STRAINER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5,1909.

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-0 an W mm \WW 00.0000000000 0 00 00000000 000v 0000.0 0.000000000 000000 n000n0. 00000 0000000000 00000 0 000u Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

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WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27,1912.

Application filed June 5, 1909. Serial No. 500,432.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT, of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Strainers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention has relation to the class of strainers and is designed to provide a strainer having a bypass through which liquid may be diverted without interruption of its flow through the line in which the strainer is connected while the strainer proper is being renewed or repaired.

A further object is to provide a strainer of this character having means whereby the bypass will be automatically opened in case the strainer proper should become clogged to such an extent as to interfere with the flow of the proper volume of liquid.

A still further object is to provide a strainer of this character which is simple in its construction and can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost and in which the parts are readily accessible for renewal or repairs.

The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyin drawings, in which I have shown two di%erent embodiments thereof, and which will now be described, it being premised, however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

In these drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of one form of strainer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the irregular line IIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modification; and Fig. 4: is a section on the line IVIV of Fig. 1.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 2 designates the casing or shell of the strainer, which may be conveniently formed in two sections, as shown, said sections being detachably connected by the bolts 3, or by other suitable means. The upper section of the casing is provided at the incoming end with a flanged neck or coupling 4, for connection with a ipe line, and the opposite outgoing end of said section is provided with a similar flanged neck or coupling 5. The lower section of the casing is provided with the two ports 6 and 7, which connect the chamber of the upper section with the chamber of the lower section, these two ports being arranged side by side and at opposite sides of a transverse partition wall 8, which wall divides the lower portion of the chamber of the upper section into two parts. The ports 6 and 7 are provided with the respective valves 9 and 10, carried by the rods 11,'provided with threaded bearings 12, in the lower casing section, and having hand wheels 13 at their lower ends, by means of which the rods maybe actuated to open and close the valves. The valves are provided with the tail rods or stems 14, which are guided in a horizontal upper portion 15 of the partition wall 8. This partition wall is in the form of a casting and this horizontal portion 15 carries. the strainer grid 16, which is composed of a plurality of substantially parallel curved bars, which extend upwardly and forwardly across that portion of the passage or chamber of the upper shell which lies above the partition. The upper casing section, as shown, is provided with a shoulder 17, against which the upper forward ends of the grid bars abut.

18 is a flap valve, which is attached to a rock shaft 19, said valve being arranged when in the position shown in Fig. l, to close off the entrance of liquid to that portion of the upper casing section which is above the partition 15. The shaft 19 is extended at one end through the wall of the casing, and has attached thereto a counterweighted lever 20, the counterweight acting to hold the valve in the closed position shown. The valve is also provided with a stop lug 21, which prevents its swinging beyond its closed position.

22 is a cylindrical strainer cage or basket which is removably placed in the lower casing section. This cage or basket is shown as consisting of the longitudinal ribs 23, which have flanges 24, which slidingly engage the grooved ways 25 and 26. The grooved way 25 is formed on the lower wall of the lower casing section, while the grooved way 26 is formed on the lower side of the transverse partition which separates the ports 6 and 7. Secured to the ribs 23 is a covering of perforated metal which constitutes the body of the cage or basket, the rear end 27 of the cage or basket being preferably also formed of perforated metal. The opposite end of the cage or basket is closed by a cap plate, 28, which is bolted or otherwise removably secured to the lower casing section. A segment of the perforated cage or covering is cut away at one side, as shown at 29, to permit free entrance of the liquid therein.

i The operation will be readily understood. The valve 18 being closed and the valves 9 and 10 being open, as shown in Fig. 1, the incoming liquid passes through the port 6, into the lower casing section, and thence into the cage or basket, the longitudinal ribs 23 preventing the liquid from flowing around the cage or basket. The liquid passes out through the perforations of the metal covering, and thence out through the port 7, its course from the strainer being as indicated by the full line arrows in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to change the cage or basket, the lever 20 is raised to a substantially vertical position, thereby opening the fiapvalve 18, which swings upwardly into the substantially horizontal position. The valves 9 and 10 are closed, and all of the liquid now passes above the partition 15, and through the strainer grid 16. By removing the cap plate 28, the cage or basket can be readily removed and cleaned and replaced or replaced by a new one. The cap 28 is then put back into place, the valves 9 and 10 are opened, the lever 20 is moved back to the position shown at 21, and all the liquid now passes through the strainer cage or basket.

In case the basket should get clogged up, an increased pressure is thereby caused at the inlet side of the strainer, and this pressure will accumulate to such an extent as to open or partially open the valve 18. This causes the lever 20 to rise and this movement of the lever may be made to operate any suitable alarm, either mechanically or by closing an electric circuit in any well known manner.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that instead of the bar or grid strainer 16, the partition 15f is provided with supports 30, for a strainer cage or basket 31. This strainer cage or basket is supported longitudinally above the partition plate, being provided with the end castings or plates 32, which-rest upon the supports 30, and also engage vertical guideways 33, in the walls of the upper casing section. The outlet end of the cage or basket 31 is of perforated metal, as is also the body of the cage or basket, while its opposite end is open and is provided with a piston closure 341. This piston is carried by a rod 35, which passes out through a stufling box 36. Connected to the outer end portion of the rod is a weight 37, which normally acts to hold the piston in the position shown in Fig. 3.

The operation is the same as that of the strainer shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that when the by-pa-ss is to be voluntarily brought into the operation, the piston closure 31 is moved toward the discharge end of the cage or-basket 31 to permit the liquid to freely flow into the cage or basket. In case the lower cage or basket becomes clogged, the accumulation of pressure behind the piston closure 34: will move the same forwardly to admit liquid into the cage or basket 31.

I preferably construct the casing section in all cases with the grooves or guides 33, so that the same casing may be used either with the grid strainer in the by-pass, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or with the cage or basket strainer in the by-pass, as shown in Figs. ,3 and 4. When this is done, the only change which is necessary in order to adapt the device to every form is to substitute a different form of the partition casting.

It will be seen that the valve members 18 and 34 move forwardly over the surfaces of the strainer bars 16 and 31, respectively, in the two forms described, and in so doing,

exert a scraping action which is effective in cleaning and clearing such surfaces.

The advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The construction is a simple and inexpensive one, the parts are readily accessible for renewal, cleaning and repairs, the provision of the by-pass enables the strainer to be cleaned or changed without interfering with the flow of water through the line, while the automatic feature of the by-pass is of great ad vantage in case of clogging, since the said by-pass will be automatically opened, and a continuous flow of water provided for.

It will be obvious that many changes can be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts. Thus, the casing or shell may be of any suitable form and construction, different constructions of strainer cages or baskets may be employed, any suitable strainer can be employed in the bypass, and various forms of automatic valves may be used to control the by-pass.

I claim:

1. Strainer apparatus comprising a casing, having an inlet and an outlet connection, partition means within the casing to form two separate passages therethrough, one of said passages constituting a strainer chamber and having inlet and outlet ports, manually-controlled valves for controlling said ports, a strainer element in said chamber, a valve normally closing the other passage, but free to open by increase of fluid pressure at its inlet side, and a strainer element in the last named passage beyond the valve, substantially as described.

2. In strainer apparatus, a casing having a strainer chamber therein and valves controlling the passage through said chamber, the casing also having a bypass paspassages constituting a straining chamber having inlet and outlet ports, manually operated valves for controlling said ports, a strainer element in said chamber, a strainer element carried by the partition member within the other of said passages, and a counterweighted valve normally closing the entrance to the lastnamed element, said valve being free to open by increase of pressure at its inlet side; substantially as described.

4:. In strainer apparatus, a casing having an inlet and an outlet connection, a partition member within the casing to form two separate passages therethrough, one of said passages constituting a straining chamber having inlet and outlet ports, manually op erated valves for controlling said ports, a strainer element in said chamber, a strainer element carried by the partition member within the other of said passages, and a counterweighted valve normally closing the entrance to the last named element, said valve being free to open by increase of pressure at its inlet side, said strainer element being in the form of a grid curved forwardly and upwardly to permit the valve to swing thereover; substantially as described.

5. Strainer apparatus comprising a casing having an inlet and outlet connection, a strainer chamber communicating therewith through inlet and outlet ports and containing a strainer, and valve stems extending through the strainer chamber on each side of the strainer and carrying valves arranged to seat against ports in the inner wall of the strainer chamber, the strainer having longitudinal flanges at different points in its circumference to direct the flow of the water through the strainer, substantially as described.

6. Strainer apparatus comprising a casing having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a strainer chamber intermediate said portions, and valved inlet and outlet ports connecting the chamber with said portions respectively, and a hollow foraminated strainer vessel in said chamber and having an opening at one side, together with partition means for directing the water from the inlet port into said opening; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT. Witnesses:

Geo. H. PARMELEE, H. M. Conwm.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. G. 

